FANS of comedian Michael McIntyre queued round the block to get their hands on tickets to see him perform in Darlington this October.

Tickets went onsale at noon today (Monday, August 18) but queues had already started forming by 8am at the Civic Theatre and at the box office in the Cornmill shopping centre soon after.

The show sold out in two hours as hundreds of fans were keen to make the most of the rare chance to see the record-breaking comedian perform in a more intimate setting than his usual stadium tours.

Among those waiting patiently for a ticket was 26-year-old Helen Dady from Darlington who joined the back of the snaking queue at the Cornmill at lunchtime.

She said that she expected demand to be so high and added: “I’m a big fan.

“I’ve been to Newcastle to see his tours, he is absolutely brilliant and amazing live; he is so funny.”

David Dome, 33, caught an early bus from Spennymoor to make sure he could get his hands on a ticket for himself and his girlfriend Cathy.

But despite arriving an hour before tickets went onsale, he still had a two-hour wait to make sure he bagged a couple.

He said: “When I got here there was already about 30 people in front of me.

“I have never been to any of his shows but I’ve watched his DVDs and think he’s really funny.

“I’m chuffed to have got tickets.”

It wasn’t all smiles though as several would-be customers took to social media to express frustration at being unable to secure tickets over the phone.

McIntyre will be joined at Darlington Civic Theatre on October 13 by Scarborough-born comedian Paul Tonkinson.